A new surveillance system may help the CDC track norovirus infections more effectively.

Jan Vinjé, PhD, head of the calicivirus laboratory at the CDC, discussed the launch of the laboratory-based surveillance network at the International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases in March. As little as 3 years ago, Vinjé explained, the agency had no way of monitoring norovirus outbreaks. The agency's new CaliciNet surveillance system will collect information on the genetic fingerprints of norovirus strains isolated during US outbreaks.